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Grilled Watermelon, Feta, and Basil Salad

July 19, 2015 by Danae 26 Comments

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Sweet juicy watermelon paired with salty feta, fresh basil, and tart lime juice is a refreshing and easy to make summer salad.

GrilledWatermelonFetaandBasilSalad You aren’t going to believe this, but the first watermelon I bought this summer just happened to be for this salad. I know! Watermelon is one of my favorite fruits to eat in the summer, I usually end up eating it until I practically make myself sick. There’s something about the crisp bite and all that refreshing sweet juice!

Grilled Watermelon, Feta, and Basil Salad | Sweet grilled watermelon, salty feta, and fresh basil taste so good together in this summer salad!The problem I have with watermelon is that half the time I buy one it ends up being gross. Either mealy in texture, which is the worst, or pale inside and not sweet at all. I do the tapping method when I’m trying to pick one out, seeing if it sound hollow inside. I look for a heavy one and one that doesn’t have any of the stem still attached. None of this matters in my case, I still end up with a gross one 50% of the time. What methods do you use for picking out a good watermelon?

Grilled Watermelon, Feta, and Basil Salad | Sweet grilled watermelon, salty feta, and fresh basil taste so good together in this summer salad!Well, luck was on my side with the baby watermelon I bought to make this Grilled Watermelon, Feta, and Basil Salad. I decided to start small and buy the baby size instead of a full size one, just in case it was lacking in the flavor and texture department. Another great thing about the baby sized watermelon is that it didn’t hog up an entire shelf of my fridge!

Grilled Watermelon, Feta, and Basil Salad | Sweet grilled watermelon, salty feta, and fresh basil taste so good together in this summer salad!So, this salad. You knew I had to find one more excuse to grill something, so why not throw some slices of watermelon on? Grilled watermelon is delicious, but just be careful not to grill it too long. If you do it gets kind of mushy and slimy which is not good. If you don’t have a grill or don’t want to bother you can skip that step, but I highly recommend giving it a try. Watermelon paired with feta is a magical sweet and salty combination that I absolutely love! Then when you throw in the freshness of the basil and that tart acid from the lime it really send this salad over the top. I finished the salad with a sweet balsamic reduction drizzled on top which not only made the grilled watermelon salad look beautiful, but completed the sweet and salty flavors of this delicious summer salad!

Yields 4-5 servings

Grilled Watermelon, Feta, and Basil Salad

15 minPrep Time

5 minCook Time

20 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 1 whole mini/baby watermelon
  • 4 ounces feta cheese, cut into cubes
  • Juice of 1/2 a lime
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, sliced thin
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Balsamic reduction for drizzling, I used the one in this recipe or you can buy pre-made at Trader Joe's

Instructions

  1. Cut the watermelon into 1 inch thick slabs and lightly brush them with olive oil.
  2. Place the slabs of watermelon cut side down onto a heated grill and grill for about 2-3 minutes per side or until marked and warm.
  3. Remove from the grill and cut off the rind, then cut into 1 inch cubes.
  4. Toss the grilled watermelon with the basil, salt, pepper, and lime juice.
  5. Gently fold in the cubed feta being careful not to break it up.
  6. Drizzle the salad with the balsamic reduction before serving.
7.8.1.2
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https://reciperunner.com/grilled-watermelon-feta-basil-salad/

Grilled Watermelon, Feta, and Basil Salad | Sweet grilled watermelon, salty feta, and fresh basil taste so good together in this summer salad!More Summer Salads:

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Filed Under: Salad Tagged With: balsamic vinegar, Basil, Feta, Gluten Free, grilling, Lime, Salad, summer, vegetarian, watermelon

Previous Post: « Tropical Trail Mix
Next Post: Peach Quinoa Muffins »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom

    July 21, 2015 at 4:53 am

    I think it is inevitable to get a bad watermelon at times--no matter what you do to try to pick one out! I am hoping my next one is a good one, because I HAVE to make this salad asap. It reminds me of my grandma salting fresh watermelon because she said the salt brought out the flavor!
    Reply
    • Danae

      July 21, 2015 at 9:12 am

      Your grandma was absolutely right Kristen! The salt really does enhance the watermelon flavor, I love it!
      Reply
  2. Marye

    July 21, 2015 at 6:56 am

    This looks delicious, definitely a great summertime dish!
    Reply
    • Danae

      July 21, 2015 at 9:10 am

      Thanks Marye!
      Reply
  3. Julia

    July 21, 2015 at 7:35 am

    This is a beautiful salad. I love grilling fruit, especially watermelon! These flavors together make such a great salad.
    Reply
    • Danae

      July 21, 2015 at 9:10 am

      Thanks Julia! Grilling fruit is turning into one of my new favorites!
      Reply
  4. Kelley @ Chef Savvy

    July 21, 2015 at 3:45 pm

    This salad sounds amazing! Balsamic vinegar and watermelon goes so well together! Love that you grilled the watermelon too!
    Reply
    • Danae

      July 21, 2015 at 4:53 pm

      Thanks Kelley! I love balsamic and watermelon together!
      Reply
  5. Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy

    July 21, 2015 at 3:54 pm

    This looks incredible!! I love watermelon! I feel the same as you - I pick out crappy watermelons half the time. You know what I've started to do? I'll ask the produce guy to cut it open for me so I can try it. They are totally willing to do it with any fruit you want to try! Oh and I just made a balsamic reduction for the first time the other week - in love! Can't wait to make this!!
    Reply
    • Danae

      July 23, 2015 at 10:01 am

      Thanks Jen! I love your tip about asking the produce guy to cut it open and let you try it, so smart! I'll have to try that when I buy my next one.
      Reply
  6. Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life

    July 21, 2015 at 9:49 pm

    I never would have thought to pair these two together, but it looks and sounds like an amazing salad! Since we all love watermelon and feta here, I'm going to give it a try!
    Reply
    • Danae

      July 23, 2015 at 9:58 am

      Thanks Michelle, I hope you like it!
      Reply
  7. Catherine

    July 23, 2015 at 5:42 am

    Dear Danae, You have combined my favorites in one dish and I love it! I could live off this cool and delicious salad all summer long. Nothing like feta with melon...the basil just ties it all together. Beautiful dish. xo, Catherine
    Reply
    • Danae

      July 23, 2015 at 9:56 am

      Thanks Catherine! Feta and watermelon are such a great combination!
      Reply
  8. Lauren @ Healthy Delicious

    July 23, 2015 at 10:43 am

    I was never big on watermelon until this year. Now I can't get enough - it's so sweet and flavorful! Salads like these are definitely my favorite way to eat it.
    Reply
    • Danae

      July 26, 2015 at 9:41 am

      Thanks Lauren, I couldn't agree more!
      Reply
  9. Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes

    July 23, 2015 at 11:11 am

    I am horrible at picking out watermelons so I can't give any advice! I always end up with ones that are not sweet at all. So disappointing because, like you, watermelon is my favorite fruit to eat in the summer. I need to try this salad soon!
    Reply
    • Danae

      July 26, 2015 at 9:43 am

      Thanks Ashley! I'm glad it's not just me that has issues picking out a perfect melon!
      Reply
  10. Julianne @ Beyond Frosting

    July 24, 2015 at 1:07 am

    I hate a mealy watermelon! It is such a waste. My favorite part is the pieces with the white rind! Gorgeous salad here!
    Reply
    • Danae

      July 26, 2015 at 9:40 am

      Thanks Julianne! Mealy watermelon is the worst! I'd rather have one with no flavor than that gross texture.
      Reply
  11. Jess | Dreaming of Leaving

    May 13, 2016 at 5:22 pm

    This salad recipe looks so yummy that I just had to feature it in my "Sensational Summer Salads" roundup! Come check it out when you have a chance :) xo http://dreamingofleaving.com/2016/05/10/sensational-summer-salads/
    Reply
    • Danae

      May 16, 2016 at 11:22 am

      Thank you and thanks for the feature as well!
      Reply
  12. Kimberly Brown

    May 28, 2016 at 4:34 pm

    I can't wait to make this salad! I have a question: how long does this salad keep? Is it best to serve immediately, or can it be made a day before?
    Reply
    • Danae

      May 29, 2016 at 1:08 pm

      Hi Kimberly. It's probably best to make the salad and serve it the same day. The watermelon tends to weep and release juice the longer it sits.
      Reply
  13. Kelly Gasper

    June 3, 2016 at 12:11 pm

    Hope you don't mind I linked to your recipe on my blog post at http://www.the208group.com/2016/06/03/summer-bbq-side-dishes/. Thanks for sharing!
    Reply
    • Danae

      June 5, 2016 at 4:03 pm

      Not at all! Thanks so much for sharing Kelly!
      Reply

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